REGULAR MEETING MINUTES OCT. 24, 2013 Greenwood Inn & Suites Calgary, AB 1 AB ED Marlene Lambe Ed. Mgr., Zone 5 (403) 297-5022 [email protected] 2 AB ED Richard Arnold Bus. Oper. Mgr. (780) 422-6062 [email protected] 3 AB ED Randy Clarke Director, GES (780) 427-5382 [email protected] 4 AB ED Carolyn Gartke Ed. Mgr. Zone 2/3 (780) 422-0704 [email protected] 5 Almadina Yvonne DePeel Superintendent (403) 543-5078 [email protected] 6 Almadina Suzanne Bedard Sec./Treasurer (403) 543-5078 [email protected] 7 Aurora Shamir Muhki Director (204) 771-4698 [email protected] 8 Aurora Dale Bischoff Superintendent (403) 454-1855 [email protected] 9 Aurora Marianne Grohn Board Chair (780) 459-3311 [email protected] 10 CAA Dale Erickson Superintendent (403) 532-3020 [email protected] 11 CAA Jan Jordan Sec./Treasurer (403) 532-3020 [email protected] 12 CAPE Teresa Di Ninno Superintendent (403) 957-0403 [email protected] 13 CAPE Riaan Swiegers Board Chair (403) 580-5703 [email protected] 14 CGS Wendy Jeurgens Sec./Treasurer (403) 252-0702 [email protected] 15 CGS Oliver Fisher Vice-Princ. (403) 220-0745 [email protected] 16 CGS Geordie MacPherson Director (403) 828-9051 [email protected] 17 CSS Garry McKinnon Superintendent (403) 282-2890 [email protected] 18 CSS Debra Scott Director [email protected] 19 CSS Wendy Baillie Director [email protected] 20 CSS Denise Kitagawa Director (403) 889-0451 [email protected] 21 FFCA Jay Pritchard Superintendent (403) 520-3206 [email protected] 22 FFCA Judy Gray SEE Principal (403) 258-2728 [email protected] 23 FFCA Meredith Poole Exec. Asst. (403) 520-3206 [email protected] 24 FFCA Bill McGregor Board Chair (587) 999-8747 [email protected] 25 FFCA Justin Kool SMS Principal (403) 259-3527 [email protected] 26 FFCA Cindy Higa Vice-Chair (403) 246-7111 [email protected] 27 FFCA Denise Budgen NWE Principal (403) 282-5202 [email protected] 28 FFCA Kurtis Leinweber Asst. Supe. (403) 520-3206 [email protected] 29 FFCA John Deines Coord. of Instr. (403) 520-3206 [email protected] 30 MECCS Brenda Nelson Director (780) 968-3833 [email protected] 31 MECCS Anita LeMoignan Sec./ Treasurer (780) 702-7531 [email protected] 32 New Hor Don Falk Superintendent (587) 877-5618 [email protected] 33 Suzuki Heather Christison Sec./ Treasurer (780) 468-2598 [email protected] 34 Suzuki Karen Spencer Principal (780) 468-2598 [email protected] www.taapcs.ca 35 Suzuki Lee Lucente Superintendent (780) 468-2598 [email protected] 36 Suzuki Monica McCormack Board Chair (780) 468-2598 [email protected] 37 Suzuki Nicole Palmer Vice-Chair (780) 468-2598 [email protected] 38 TAAPCS Garry Andrews Exec Director (403) 331-7750 [email protected] 39 Valhalla Jolene Kochendorfer Board Chair (780) 356-2370 [email protected] 40 Westmount Joe Frank Superintendent (403) 217-0426 [email protected] 41 Westmount John Liu Sec./ Treasurer (403) 217-0426 [email protected] 42 Westmount Hal Curties Principal (403) 217-0426 [email protected] 43 Westmount Colleen Groot Asst. Principal (403) 217-0426 [email protected] 1. CALL TO ORDER – 9:00 a.m. 1.1 Introductions and Announcements – Attendees introduced themselves with their school affiliations and their reasons for attending today’s meeting. Thanks were extended to the Calgary Arts Academy for their invitation to our members to their Cinq à Sept event - the hospitality and entertainment were truly first class – and to Almadina for supplying the MANY door prizes at our subsequent banquet. Jay announced this year’s deserving winner of the Halvar Jonson Award, Marc Prefontaine. Marc had been given a superb introduction by nominator Karen Spencer, and responded in kind with heartfelt appreciation. 1.2 Consideration of Agenda – Item 4.6 Inclusive Education Funding moved to 1.7. 1.3 Approval of Minutes #13/24/10-01 M/C to adopt the minutes of the May 3, 2013 regular meeting as presented. Heather Christison Marianne Grohn 1.4 Financial Report (handout) #13/24/10-02 M/C to adopt the April - August 2013 financial reports as presented. Johnathan Liu Bill McGregor 1.5 School Spotlight – Aurora Charter School presented a comprehensive 15-minute video explaining what charter schools are, and profiling the school’s programs. They use a customized version of the Madeline Hunter Direct Instruction Model, with obvious success. Their PAT results are outstanding – above provincial levels in every subject - and the school has a wait list of 1000 students. Technology is used to support, not replace, the teacher-directed model. The majority of their Board members are parents. 1.6 Education Research Update 1.6.1 Phil Butterfield of the Calgary Science School had been scheduled to present his own research on charter schools but was unable to attend the meeting. This will appear on a future agenda. 1.7 Inclusive Education Funding – Handout. John Liu explained that no agreement has been reached among the charter schools as to a preferred model for Inclusive Ed Funding; currently we are being funded on the 2011-12 model. The ramifications of having funding come directly to TAAPCS were discussed. Please send further thoughts to Garry Andrews and Johnathan Liu. This issue will go back to EAC for more discussion. www.taapcs.ca 2. Committee Reports 2.1 ESL – No report since no meeting has been held. 2.2 Administrators’ Group – As was the case last year, administrators’ meetings are being replaced by the School Leadership Learning Initiative meetings. 2.3 Board Directors’ Committee – Jolene Kochendorfer reported that their main issues are increasing Director involvement (all Directors are welcome, not just Chairs and Vice-Chairs), and developing a simple, concise GR message emphasizing key points (e.g. permanence, equitable treatment, choice, positive results). 2.4 Workforce Planning/Dialogue on Teaching Quality – See report which details highlights of the /2.5 May and October, 2013 meetings. Main points include the revision of the Teaching Quality Standard and the development of a strategy to attract teachers to Alberta. Draft documents re: various roles (teacher, principal, Superintendent, etc.) will be circulated. The province has also formed a Task Force on Teaching Excellence; to participate, please go to: https://legerweb.com/teachingexcellence/signup.asp 2.6 Regional Collaborative Services – No report at this time. 3. Update from Alberta Education – Randy distributed copies of the October Director’s Report for Charter Schools, and expressed the thanks of his department for the recognition of Marc Prefontaine. Other items: AB ED reorganization – due to fewer staff, focus on “Metro Services” with intention of taking advantage of best practice in metro boards & expanding results to province. Marlene Lambe is part of the Metro Services Team and is very involved in the Regulatory Review process. 5 charter school evaluations this year; process will be more personalized and collaborative (Superintendents have been given relevant information) RFP’s for Curriculum Development have been sent out Nominations for Excellence in Teaching Awards open since Oct. 18 Teaching Excellence Task Force focus group dates: Nov. 4 in Calgary, Nov. 12 in Edmonton; report in early 2014 Deadline to request modulars for 2014/15: Nov. 15 Nov. 30 – date by which Superintendents must indicate intentions re PAT’s/SLA’s/both Sandra Jansen has been appointed Associate Minister of Family and Community safety; she will be including school authorities in the development of proactive strategies. Inclusive Education Library available on website @ http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/ieptLibrary/index.html . Charter schools have been made aware of which sections of the new Ed Act apply to them; please be particularly cognizant of Section 33 (Board Responsibilities) and Section 11 (Responsibilities to Students) In response to a question about the measures that might be taken to encourage the large boards to be receptive to the “message” of charter schools, Marlene said that AB ED recognizes the need for a process in this area. www.taapcs.ca SPECIAL GUEST: MLA CHRISTINE CUSANELLI, ALBERTA EDUCATION REGULATORY REVIEW COMMITTEE Ms. Cusanelli is meeting with stakeholder groups throughout the province to hear their wishes/concerns regarding the regulations connected to the new Education Act. Her committee is very dedicated to the ideals of the Inspiring Education initiative; charter schools are a “gem” that we offer in Alberta and, as such, can play a significant role in meeting those ideals. The Calgary Arts Academy is in her riding and she has great admiration for their amazing infusion of arts into the curriculum. Table discussions resulted in the identification of several issues that the participants would ask be kept in mind: 1. the desire for “continuous” terms (replacing 15 year terms), 2. access to equitable facilities, ideally including ownership of new buildings, 3. the recognition that the concept of CHOICE should underlie the regulations, and that removal of obstacles to choice is imperative, 4. equitable treatment in terms of accountability, and 5. timely decision-making. The point was made that some of the consultations so far have revealed an unwillingness on the part of some education stakeholders to recognize that charter schools are here to stay. Ms. Cusanelli encouraged charter schools to be relentless in sending their message, and will assist in the direction of that message to the appropriate MLA’s. She also invited representatives to attend a sitting of the legislature, where she would be happy to introduce them. 4. Education Advisory Committee (EAC) Report 4.1 Leadership Project Part 2 – With the approval of a second $50,000 grant to continue these sessions into another year, the first session was held on September 18 and was ably presented by Judy Gray and Denise Budgen from FFCA.